The Crow Garden

'A chilling atmosphere of skulls, seances, secrets and hysteria' The Times

Set a guard upon your soul . . .

When Nathaniel Kerner takes up his new position as a mad-doctor at Crakethorne Manor, the proprietor, more interested in phrenology and his growing collection of skulls than his patients' minds, hands over the care of his most interesting case.

Mrs Victoria Harleston's husband accuses her of hysteria and says he will pay any price to see her well. But she accuses him of something far more terrible . . .

Nathaniel becomes increasingly obsessed with Victoria and her condition: is she truly delusional or is she hiding secrets that should never be uncovered?

'A Gothic masterpiece' The Lady

“There's an amazing sense of place and time in this novel, as Littlewood perfectly captures the literary style, attitudes, and class consciousness of Victorian England -- Publishers Weekly on The Hidden People”

Excellent . . . she creates a chilling atmosphere of skulls, seances, secrets and hysteria - The Times

[An] enjoyable excursion . . . gripping - The Sunday Times

Littlewood's dark and gothic style had me mesmerised from the very first page . . . a deeply compelling, fascinating novel, written in a way that had me, the reader, mesmerised also. - Book Babe Review

An excellent, chilling, autumn read, all about the dangers of power, obsession, and guilt, this is sure to be another hit - Blue Book Balloon

Eerie and unsettling . . . Alison Littlewood has crafted a sublime blend of the psychological and the supernatural - Starburst

A rare treat! I love the idea of novels about madness but it is rare that I find one so well written . . . a fantastic novel and highly recommended! - Life Has A Funny Way of Sneaking Up On You

Alison has been churning out intriguing and clever chilling stories that always manage to raise my heartbeat - Upcoming4.me on Alison Littlewood

There's an amazing sense of place and time in this novel, as Littlewood perfectly captures the literary style, attitudes, and class consciousness of Victorian England - Publishers Weekly on The Hidden People

Alison Littlewood's debut novel, A Cold Season, selected for the Richard and Judy Book Club, where it was described as 'perfect reading for a dark winter's night.' Among her recent novels are the highly acclaimed historical chillers The Hidden People and The Crow Garden and the ghost stories The Unquiet House and Mistletoe, all published by Jo Fletcher Books. Alison's novels and short stories have won the Shirley Jackson Award and been shortlisted for the British Fantasy Award, and have appeared in numerous 'Best of the Year' anthologies.

Alison lives with her partner Fergus in Yorkshire, England, in a house of creaking doors and crooked walls. You can talk to her on twitter @Ali__L, see her on Facebook and visit her at

'A chilling atmosphere of skulls, seances, secrets and hysteria' The Times Set a guard upon your soul . . . When Nathaniel Kerner takes up his new position as a mad-doctor at Crakethorne Manor, the proprietor, more interested in phrenology and his growing collection of skulls than his patients' minds, hands over the care of his most interesting case.Mrs Victoria Harleston's husband accuses her of hysteria and says he will pay any price to see her well. But she accuses him of something far more terrible . . .Nathaniel becomes increasingly obsessed with Victoria and her condition: is she truly delusional or is she hiding secrets that should never be uncovered? 'A Gothic masterpiece' The Lady

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